OSU quarterbacks: A competition or is there an heir apparent?

COLUMBUS – It's hard to remember a time when the heir apparent to a vacant starting quarterback job at Ohio State let that chance slip away. Will Howard (2024), Kyle McCord (2023), C.J. Stroud (2021), Justin Fields (2019) and Dwayne Haskins (2018) all were preseason favorites to be the Buckeyes' starting quarterback during spring practice for those seasons when there was no incumbent starter. And every one of them started the opener despite Urban Meyer and later Ryan Day insisting the competition was too close to call until a few days or a few weeks before the first game. It would be no surprise to see Julian Sayin join that list of OSU quarterbacks who went from heir apparent to starter this season. Sayin, a 5-star recruit rated the top quarterback nationally in the 2024 recruiting class, arrived at OSU in January 2024 when he entered the transfer portal after enrolling at Alabama but having second thoughts when Nick Saban resigned as the Crimson Tide's coach. He played briefly in four games last season and threw one touchdown pass. Starter Will Howard and No.2 quarterback Devin Brown are gone so Sayin's competition at this point is coming from Lincoln Kienholz, who appeared in two games without throwing a pass last season, and freshman Tavien St. Clair. New OSU quarterbacks coach Billy Fessler said it is much too early to discuss who the starting quarterback will be after the second day of spring practice for the Buckeyes on Wednesday. "I think that we're just a long way away from even talking about how close it is," Fessler said. "Right now, those three guys are really just focused on getting better every single time they step in this building in meeting rooms, step out on the field on practice." Sayin said becoming the starting quarterback is "definitely the goal," but answered a question about being the heir apparent by saying he ignored "the outside noise." "I saw that last year how much noise there is. You just have to block out the noise and focus on spring practice," he said. Sayin said he has gained around 10 pounds from the 185 he weighed when he arrived at Ohio State. One of the things he was known for during his high school career was having a quick release on his passes. "I think I've always naturally had kind of a quick release. I've always had a quick release and I've been trying to get it quicker," he said. He also praised the leadership quarterback Will Howard showed last season. "Will was a really great leader for this team and it was fun to watch. He was someone who everyone could kind of relate to and was liked by everyone. So I've kind of been trying to take that approach," Sayin said. Kienholz said he believes there is an open competition to be the starter. "I'd say it feels wide open," he said. "It feels good because I can come in and strive to be the best quarterback in the nation and that's what I'm trying to do."